When the road lay clear before them the first transports of the army corps were hardly past St.Vincent, but before they had made up their mind to take that road the harbour of Durban was packed with our shipping and ten thousand men had thrown themselves across their path.
For a moment we may leave the fortunes of Ladysmith to follow this southerly movement of the Boers.

Within two days of the investment of the town they had swung round their left flank and attacked Colenso, twelve miles south, shelling the Durban Light Infantry out of their post with a long-range fire.

The British fell back twenty-seven miles and concentrated at Estcourt, leaving the all-important Colenso railway-bridge in the hands of the enemy.

From this onwards they held the north of the Tugela, and many a widow wore crepe before we got our grip upon it once more.

Never was there a more critical week in the war, but having got Colenso the Boers did little more.